Chinese First Manned Docking with Space Station

 

In foreground, Tiangong 1 station obscures the Shenzhou-9 Spacecraft. Credit CCTV.

The Chinese space program completed a major step in their efforts to rival the USA and USSR in space achievements this weekend. It began with the launch of a Long March 2f rocket from the Jiuquan Space Center in the Gansu Province. The Saturday launch in the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft immediately achieved another first for China, as the three-taikonaut crew carried the first Chinese woman to orbit.

Long March rocket roll-out to the pad. Credit: CCTV.

The Long March is carried to the pad by a large crawler, while the crowd gets a great close up view.

Credit: CCTV

Long March at gantry, as support scaffolding moves to embrace it. Chinese Shenzou spacecraft follow Russian Soyuz design, but launch facilities seem to follow Western concepts. Credit: CCTV

Blast off! Credit China Academy of Launch Technology.

After the liftoff on Saturday, the Shenzhou-9 carried the crew to rendezvous with the Tiangong-1 Orbital Module. Previously, an unmanned Shenzhou spacecraft had been remotely piloted to the station and ground controllers had practiced docking procedures. Now, early on Monday morning, the spacecraft docked with a crew of three: Commander Jing Haipeng opened the hatch a few hours later, and was followed inside by Liu Wang.

Inside the module. Hatch opens and Jing Haipeng, on his second spaceflight, waves to the camera. Credit: CCTV

Jing Haipeng approaches the camera while Liu Wang enters the hatch in background.

Admittedly, the interior of the module seems spartan and empty compared to the packed but roomy ISS modules or the often cluttered Russian space stations of the past. Of course the camera lens is allowing a wider view which makes it look a little wider than it actually is, but it still looks nice and orderly in there. Well, let's see how it looks as they get used to working in the module. Meanwhile, China's first woman in space, Liu Yang, remained in the Shenzhou-9 to monitor operations while the module base was established. Eventually she also made her way into the Tiangong-1.

Liu Yang in the cramped Shenzhou cabin. Now, THIS looks more like a Soyuz... Credit:CCTV

The Shenzhou-9 crew inside Tiangong-1, sending greetings to Earth.

Credit is given where credit is due, and the Chinese have certainly performed a great feat in their space efforts with this mission. The people of China must certainly be proud of their accomplishments, and all space buffs are happy to cheer them on and wish them a successful mission. One thing for certain. their TV transmissions were better than the ones that came from the Russian Mir station... ; )

By Mark Daymont

Space Center Educator

From his blog

Spacerubble.blogspot.com

This Last Week. Pictures, News, Stories and Bracken Duels with Fortuna

 Dweeb, A Friend to All

Hello Troops,
We've finished a busy second week of camps at the Space Education Center.  The week started with a one night overnight camp followed by our first Ultimate Camp of the summer season.

I believe we have the Dream Team of staff and volunteers working this summer.  They are all talented, dedicated and driven to provide the best experience possible for our campers.  They are so good there are times I feel unneeded.

Mrs. Clegg is in the cafeteria taking care of the food.  The only thing she needs me for is to offer a helping hand to unburden her minivan from the week's groceries and be there to give her the Space Center's credit card whenever she wants it.

Jennifer Remy and Lorraine Houston are running the classroom experience for the longer camps.  They have it completely under control.  I'm needed once a camp to unlock the storage room where they keep the large flask holding the liquid nitrogen.

Lorraine Houston and Metta Smith are in charge of chaperoning the girls.  I'm only needed to unlock the air handing closet so they can override the central control system to turn on the air conditioning in their section of the school during the overnight camps.

Jon Parker, Bracken Funk, Devin Sudwicks and Zac Hirschi chaperon the boys in the Voyager.  They have several years of chaperoning experience between them and only need me if one of the boys becomes a serious behavior problem.  Other than that, I chaperon the boys assigned to sleep in the gym.  Some camps have far more boys than the Voyager's sleeping quarters can accommodate.  I get the youngest boys - they are easily intimated by my penetrating teacher's look when they misbehave.  One stern warning from the stage (where the staff sleep) will quiet the boys down on the gym floor.

Jon, Bracken, Emily, Dave, Megan, Stacy, Zac and Nicole along with several other well trained flight directors run the ships.  They rarely need my assistance.  I am on hand to unlock doors.  I'm also the one who turns on the hallway music system for their landing parties.  Occasionally they disturb my meditations for a band aid.

Matt Long and Matt Ricks take care of the ship's computer needs.  I'm needed to authorize work and purchase replacement equipment when necessary.  To be honest, everything they talk about is Greek to me.   Their Technogeek is a different language to most of us.

Kyle Jones and Spencer Robinson do an excellent job maintaining the simulators.  They need me from time to time to tell them what project to do and when, other than that, they find me when they need the credit card.

So, what do I do?  I Supervise, pay bills, book missions,  do staffing schedules, register campers for camp,  transfer campers from camp to camp, book private missions, change private mission bookings, field dozens of phone calls daily, answer scores of emails daily, clean bathrooms and school hallways when needed, help Aleta from time to time in cleaning the cafeteria after meals, sooth a troubled camper's nerves, clean up vomit, repair pin holes in the airbeds, turn off the fire alarm when the staff trigger the school's fire alarm system by taking hot showers,  call the fire department and tell them not to send the fire trucks when the staff trigger the school's fire alarm system by taking hot showers, call Mt. Alarm and tell them to ignore the fire alarms when the staff trigger the school's fire alarm system by taking hot showers, monitor the staff and volunteers, work on development - both simulator and story, type the camper's Rank Advancement Certificates, act as the buffer between Space Center operations and the normal day to day operations of Central School, plead 'no contest' to every complaint the school principal and custodians throw our way, then work even harder to keep our operations from impacting the normal day to day running of the school, work to keep our camp's operations from becoming a distraction to the many students attending the school's summer school, work with the three cafeteria ladies in charge of the government's Summer Food Program to ensure our camp food program doesn't conflict or impact the government operation, walk the campers to Pleasant Grove's pool and chaperon while they swim, set up and run the video after swimming, clean up the mess left behind by the campers after video night, run to Walmart at least twice a day for emergency items forgotten in the normal weekly shopping, deal with emergencies like downed computers, injured campers, injured staff, downed sound systems, downed projectors, downed networks, complaints as they come in, refunds when needed,  and so on and so forth.

OK, I guess I'm still needed for a few of the small things.  Other than that, my staff and volunteers have my back on most things and thus - we have a smoothly running summer season.

My patience has been known to wear thin on the second and third days of the longer camps.  The staff and volunteers know not to bother me with small things late at night.  During the day - not a problem.  Yes a problem late at night.

Just last camp I was walking by the cafeteria and found the large plastic barriers built to separate the Galileo side of the school's cafeteria from the school side had been used as props.  Several of the frames were disconnected, one had collapsed to the floor.  I expressed my dissatisfaction to the Galileo's Set Director.  Stacy defended her flight director.
She explained that Erin was unaware of the rule I'd made about not using the barriers as props.  Our discussion got heated. Stacy went home.  Later I acknowledged my error.  I had neglected to tell Erin not to use the barriers as props.  The fault was mine.

I hate it when the staff are right and I'm wrong.  I really irks me.

And so, we move along.....

This is Tori.  Tori received her Odyssey Pin on Saturday from the Odyssey's new Set Director, Emily Paxman.  Emily tooks the reigns of the Odyssey after Christine Grosland, the simulator's former Set Director, left the world to serve an LDS mission to Japan.   This is Emily's first presentation as new Set Director.  She is very pleased with herself.  Tori is pleased with her accomplishment. 

This is Michaela.  Michaela received her Odyssey pin from none other than Emily Paxman on that same Saturday!  Emily is a very busy Set Director who demonstrated great skill and fortitude in the pinning of the pin to both girl's lanyards.  

This is Sam.  Sam is receiving her Galileo Pin from Erin.  Erin is the Galileo's newest flight director.
Congratulations Sam!

I suppose I should congratulate the young and newly experienced Erin on the occasion of her awarding her first Galileo pin.  Look at Erin's enthusiastic expression of disbelief that the honor of making this presentation went to her (Stacy was no where to be found).  Later that morning I cautioned Erin on the inappropriate use of facial exaggerations and excited emotion at the Space Center.  Erin promised to do better in adopting our stoic and more measured approach to staff and volunteer emotional discharges.  We know better than to waste precious emotional reserves on self promoting awards.  Instead, we reserve the bulk of our emotions for the campers during the missions.    

This is Annika.  I'm congratulating Annika.  Annika has been a dedicated volunteer for one year and was therefore awarded her silver one year pin.
  

This is Joseph.  I'm congratulating Joseph.  Joseph has been a dedicated volunteer for one year and was therefore awarded his silver one year pin.  Please notice the reserved smile and firm grip we are both displaying.  Let it be known that I always set the example of cautious reserve in the displaying of emotions.  I hold my full range of emotions in reserve to be used when appropriate (like the time  Jon set off a couple of real smoke bombs in the Voyager thinking that real smoke would be cooler than the fake smoke our smoke machines pump out on a daily basis).    

A Few Staff Pictures...
from Morgan's Facebook Photo Album.

Ben is a Galileo Flight Director.  He knows my rules concerning staff and volunteer lounging in the school's main entrance, yet he couldn't resist the call of several plush cushions from the faculty lounge (aka.. canteena).  Ben can fall asleep anywhere.  He's even been known to fall asleep in mid stride and walk into door frames.

Matt - The Borg made a visit to the Space Center to assimilate Daniel, Connor and Jorden.  The assimilation process was unsuccessful as shown in the photograph above.  Instead, Matt - The Borg made several guest appearances during the Voyager's new mission Much Ado About Horace.  Matt has resisted the call to return to the collective and relishes his new found celebrity.  He will be available for autographs after every three day EdVenture Camp.  Just look for him near the fish tank.

Morgan is one of our long distance volunteers hailing from Park City, Utah.  I'm concerned about Morgan.  There are times she asks to leave her assigned station.  This is what she looks like when she returns.  She has a fear of sunlight, preferring to work in the darkest simulators.  She insists on sleeping alone, in the Borg crypt used for the Phoenix mission "Dark Origins".  Morgan never looks you in the eye during a conversation.  Instead, her eyes lock onto your neck.  As I said earlier, I'm concerned about Morgan and why she asks to work Overnight Camps only.

Fortuna and Bracken Tango

Bracken tempted the Goddess Fortuna last week and it came back to bite him.  The Troubadour's regular readers know all too well that the Space Center and the Goddess of Fortune have a long standing love - hate relationship.  We do all we can not to draw her attention.  So far, this strategy has worked.  Fortuna has curtailed her monthly visits to the Space Center, preferring to spend time tormenting the depressed people of Greece and Spain instead.

All that came to an end last week when Bracken uttered this challenge to the Gods of Olympus.
"I challenge Fortuna to strike.  I spit in her eye.  I dare her to cause the fire alarm to sound.  Fortuna has no power over me. I curse the Gods of Olympus!"

Let me back up and fill you in on a few missing facts.  The Voyager's shower has a tendency to trigger the school's fire alarm if the shower is too hot.  The steam condenses on the heat register and the alarm rings.  We called for a repair and I banned all showers until the repair was complete.  Bracken convinced me that he could take a cold shower and not set off the alarm.  I reminded him that I didn't want to tempt Fate and denied his request.  He insisted.  I hesitated, then thought it wise not to tempt Fortuna and denied his request again.  That is when Bracken utter his fateful words.

The words were spoken and there was no way to bring them back.  What did I have to lose?  I gave permission.  Bracken took his cold shower.  The alarm didn't ring.  All was well, until Saturday morning.

The four day Ultimate Camp was coming to an end.  The campers were assembling in the gym to collect their new Rank Papers.

"My rank is wrong," one of the campers said.
"So is mine," another chimed in.
"Mine too," said a third.

It was a disaster.  Bracken had messed up everyone's rank certificate.  He had the wrong names and the wrong hours.  The camp was to end at 10:00 A.M.  It was 9:45 A.M. when the problem was discovered.  Fortuna had her revenge.  Bracken had a look of shock and disbelief on his face.  He knew my entire emotional reserve was bubbling to the surface.  He knew the explosion would be directed toward him.

To make a long story short, we resolved the problem and sent the campers on their way.  It took the combined effort of most of the staff and an additional 30 minutes of my time but all was well in the end.

"I'll never tempt Fortuna again," Bracken promised.
"I'm holding you to that," I answered.

Fortuna is not to be tempted.  She hears all and sees all.  Bracken learned a hard lesson on Saturday.  There were reasons the Greeks feared their Gods.

Now, we prepare for another week of camps.  I'll see you soon in the trenches.

Mr. Williamson

Excuses

Hello Troops,
I labeled this post "Excuses".  The reasoning is simple.  I'm about to throw a few excuses at you explaining why I've neglected to post regularly to The Troubadour.  I begin with....

Exhaustion.  I'm in the throws of the Space Center's first Ultimate Camp.  It started Wednesday night and ends tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M.  I'm chaperoning in the gym because of the sheer number of boys we have on the camp. 

Tonight we have 38 boys and 7 girls at camp.  That's more boys than the Voyager's sleeping quarters can accommodate.  I take fifteen of the younger boys (they find the wobbly cots more comfortable than the larger 12 to 14 year olds) and sleep them in the gym on cots.  That means double chaperons,  two for the Voyager and two for the gym - that means that I have to muck in and do my share of chaperoning like all the other adults. 

I will give credit to the boys on this camp.  They've been really good, except for the one who woke me up in the early hours of this morning sleep walking.  I found him standing nearly nose to nose with the gym's brick wall carrying on a conversation made of muffled syllables interspersed with a few chuckles, as if laughing to something the wall had said.  He jumped back to bed the moment I got up.

I'm moving along to....

Work Load.  Central School's Principal in on a European Vacation until June 20th.  This gives me double duty.  I am overseeing the Space Center's summer camps and private missions, while at the same time working with the school's summer school program and the Summer Food Program.  The Summer Food Program provides free breakfast and lunch to anyone under the age of 18 in our school's cafeteria.  We are feeding a couple hundred people a day!  It's been a tight balancing act keeping the school's programs and the Space Center's camps from colliding.  My great staff have been instrumental in working to ensure our success.  Mrs. Clegg is a Saint (irregardless of what you may have heard to the contrary).  She is our One Lady Band in the cafeteria working morning, noon and night to provide our campers with the best meals possible while not stepping on the toes of the three lunch ladies who prepare the free meals for the general public.

Finally.....

Too Much to Write About.  Have you ever had so much you could write about that your brain froze up due to an overheated processor and shut down?  That is where I am right now.  Too much to write, too much to say, too many stories to tell and too many long walks through the Imaginarium.  Every time I think to write, so much comes to mind that I experience a complete white out.  Thank goodness someone usually has something to say or some minor emergency pops up that requires my attention.

Sadly, I have a bit of time right now, but need to get back to the school.  The school's internet is down so I had to come home to finish the Space Center's emails and scheduling.  The overnight camp is going on without me and most likely needs some attention. 

Mr. Williamson

 

50 Years Ago: First Steps toward a Space Shuttle

 

Famous MoonWalker with X-15 in 1962.

By Mark Daymont

Space Center Educator

 

You may or may not recognize the famous pilot in the picture above. But you certainly would recognize his name. Fifty years ago, NASA and the US Air Force were conducting tests with various test craft that would eventually help us build the Space Shuttle. One of those programs was certainly the X-15. In the picture above, Neil Armstrong stands near the nose of one of the three X-15 test rocket planes. At this point, Armstrong had not yet left the X-15 program to train for being an astronaut, yet he had already flown missions to the edge of our atmosphere.

 

 

X-20 DynaSoar mock-up. Credit: Boeing

Beside the X-15, the US Air Force was also working on a potential spacecraft that would glide back to Earth. Designated the X-20 DynaSoar, it would be boosted into space on a rocket, orbit the Earth, dock with a planned orbital space station, then re-enter the atmosphere and glide to a runway landing. Sound familiar? Many of the studies done preparing this spacecraft would be studied by engineers who later designed the Space Shuttle. But in 1962, it was just being developed.

 

 

Conceptual art of DynaSoar on Titan booster.

The Titan rocket figured prominently in the studies. Engineers were already preparing to advance from the Atlas rocket to the Titan when NASA would shift from the single-seat Mercury capsule to the double-occupant Gemini capsule. Fifty years ago in June, the USAF was testing how to add power to the Titan by strapping solid-rocket motors to the main body.

 

 

Computer art of DynaSoar testing. Credit: DeepCold. Learn more about the DynaSoar program as it could have been by visiting http://www.deepcold.com/

In June of 1962, Neil Armstrong was reported to be preparing for the DynaSoar missions. Flying an Air Force F-5 fighter jet, he was practice runway landings using data given to him by the DynaSoar engineers. But DynaSoar was not a lasting project for Neil. In the summer of 1962, he was selected with 8 other test pilots as "the New Nine", the second group of astronauts to work in NASA.

 

Northrop YF-5, prototype test aircraft.

 

F-5 control panel.

Pegasus takes NuSTAR to orbit

 

Nose of the Pegasus rocket, with bulbous arm on top. Viewed from the carrier aircraft, the arm holds the rocket in place underneath the fuselage.

At about 10:00 am MDT this morning, NASA's NuSTAR satellite was dropped suddenly from the belly of an L1011 wide-bodied jet. Moments later the Pegasus XL rocket motor ignited, and the rocket soared up into the dark sky.

Ten a.m.? Dark sky? Well, this launch was not your typical launch. The rocket was lifted up from the Kwajalein Island runway in the pacific, while it was still dark in the early morning hours. Operations were broadcast on NASATV on UStream. The operation was managed by Orbital Sciences Corporation. Like SpaceX, Orbital is a private company making its way into space with innovative new technologies. This is not the first flight of the Pegasus, but it's use to place the NuSTAR into orbit is making news this morning.

Computer rendering of Pegasus lifting towards space.

The Lockheed L-1011 jet, designated Stargazer, lifted off about an hour before fropping the rocket. After a fall of about 5 seconds, the Pegasus blasted off toward orbit. Thirteen minutes later the NuSTAR satellite separated. NASA's TDRS tracking system soon was receiving signals from the spacecraft. Engineers will check out the systems for a week before sending the signal for the equipment to deploy.

Computer image of NuSTAR deployed.

NuSTAR is an unusual-looking spacecraft. It houses a special high-energy X-Ray telescope. When the command is given, the lens section will extend on a framework out to 10 meters. NuSTAR will discover and explore black holes, as well as galaxy clusters and super-dense dead stars. Mission control for the NuSTAR operation will be located at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Mission Control screen during launch. The Pegasus is boosting the NuSTAR, 

at the very left lower corner.

By Mark Daymont

Space Center Educator

Camp Survey Results, and Other Things.

From the Institute of Incomplete Surveys

Hello Troops,
The results are in from EdVenture Camp 1.

Lord of the Votes:  Bracken
SubLord of the Votes:  Bradyn L.

Overall:
Voyager: 1.09
Odyssey:  1.13
Phoenix:  1.20
Galileo:  1.28

Magellan:  1.08

Come Back:  1.07
Class Session:  1.50
Bonus:  9.11

Lagoon:  1.29
Movies:  1.00
Mall:  1.07
Water Park:  1.17

Congratulations to the Magellan!  Magellan takes the first camp.  Great Job Zac, Mark, Nicole, Tanner, Jackie, Scott, Tim, James M., Aliah, Mark S., Matt M., Marissa and Dakota. 

The following was written by Aleta Clegg and taken from her Blog.  Aleta is our curriculum writer, Digitarium Director, Office Assistant, Summer Cook etc., etc.,
Oh, I almost forgot - Ultimate Queen of the Galaxy!

She is also a published author.  

I have a new title at work

My day job (www.spacecamputah.org) is interesting, in all sorts of ways. I never quite know what to expect from day to day. The other week, I had a girl give me a new title.

I had a planetarium show scheduled for the evening, a local youth group wanted to learn more about the night sky. One of the girls was an avid Dr. Who fan. She was so excited to be at a place that celebrated science fiction, even if it was a different universe. Until we got to the planetarium.

Our planetarium is a portable system from Digitalis. (They make the Stellarium software package. If you ever wanted to learn constellations or find out what's in the sky when, this is an excellent program. Plus, it's FREE. And no, they didn't pay me to endorse it for them.) The inflatable dome is dark blue, almost an exact color match to Dr. Who's tardis. She had to point it out to me. So I, being a big Dr. Who fan myself, told her it was bigger inside than outside. Not really, but since we have the entire universe inside, it does look bigger inside than out.

Once we were inside and seated, I launched into my spiel about how we can time travel and where they should look to see what time and date we were at. This girl couldn't contain herself. She blurted out, "You're a Time Lord!"

I love it. I'm going to print that on all my business cards. I'm a Time Lord. I can take you anywhere in time and/or space in my tardis. Oh, yeah, work is sweet.

(I'm also Ultimate Queen of the Galaxy. My boss officially gave me the title because titles cost nothing and it doesn't change my job description.)

Aleta Clegg


And Now, From the Imaginarium.....

 Standing Alone for Right.  

This is how change happens.

The Enterprise, your Grandfather's Ship.

You wouldn't find a USS Voyager crew doing this on a Friday Night.

Weekend Comments, News and... The Imaginarium

Hello Troops,

We've successfully complete our first week of summer camps.  The staff stumbled to their cars yesterday afternoon and disappeared - only to be recalled once again Monday to start the whole thing again.  This week we add an extra camp day.  We have an overnight camp on Monday, then an Ultimate Camp starting on Wednesday and ending Saturday.  Let it never be said grass grows under the feet of a Space Center staff or volunteer.  

We realize work brings reward.  Our reward for these long summer hours is the financial means to operate for another year from our summer camp earnings.  There is also the joy we feel deep inside from running our missions.  It is rewarding to watch a simulator full of campers respond to your work with applause, laughter, and the occasional scream.  It is, at least for me, the best job in the world and I want to thank my staff and volunteers for coming along for the ride and helping me make this all possible.  We have done a truly amazing thing! 

This last week's campers were truly amazing.  Everyone agrees the EdVenture Camp ending Saturday was one of the best ever.  If you were on that camp as a staff, volunteer or camper - WELL DONE!  I'd love to see everyone of those campers back again.  They were kind to each other, respectful to the staff and appreciative of our hard work.  If only all our camps this summer were as good.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping with every fiber of my being that our temptress Fortuna finds her summer's entertainment in Greece or Spain (as if they need any more bad luck with their economies). 

 

This is Tori.  Tori is being congratulated for receiving her one year pin from none other than yours truly.  Tori is one of our outstanding young volunteers with a great attitude.  The Flight Directors and Supervisors have nothing but good to say about Tori. 

This is Mr. Daymont congratulating young Jordan Smith on the occasion of his receiving his Phoneix Pin.  Jordan is one of those volunteers who never stops talking.  He talks and talks and talks and talks - almost non-stop.

"I can never get a word in edgewise," Mr. Daymont confided to me just last week.  "What do I do?  You've got to help me.  He knows something about everything.  I bring up a subject I'm sure he is ignorant about and OFF HE GOES throwing out facts, figures, prose, poetry and dialog."  

I promised Mr. Daymont I'd figure out a way to contain Jordan's abundant, vocal, and demonstrative enthusiasm.  I could be rich if his energy could be bottled and sold as an elixir for diminished attentiveness.   

(of course, many of you who know Jordan are scratching your heads and saying, "There Mr. Williamson goes again.....). 

Bracken, Jon and a slew of staff and volunteers did a couple test missions of the Voyager's new summer story, Much Ado About Horace.   The fist test mission was told last Saturday to  the Park City iWorlds staff.  That night the part of Dweeb was played by none other than Bradyn Lystrup pictured above.  Horace was played by Bracken's young cousin.   Since then, this new mission has been told three other times and was very well received by our last EdVenture Campers.  

Picture above are four of the Space Center's most awesome and vivacious volunteers enjoying a wee bit of down time on one of Tyler Gardner's new luxury benches found only at the Space Center in Central School's lobby.  I was happy to pay the bench fee as a treat for their hard work.  Left to right..
Caitlynn, Erin, Samantha and Marissa.

I noticed something strange about this quartet. Did you spot it?  I appears they are all color blind.  I'm also wondering if there is a condition called Pattern Blindness?

   

I refer you to the photograph above.  Do you see the reason for my concern?  Is this the kind of volunteer we want at the Space Center?  Volunteers with mother's who will let them leave home with mismatched socks and shoes?  What is the story here?  Are we seeing proof that this new generation of Americans are truly so hopelessly lost and uneducated that they can't even dress themselves properly?  Is this country going to the dogs?

I can only hope my horror at the photo above may be the result of my advanced age.  Could it be that Mr. Williamson isn't "with it" any more.  Could it be that I'm so far gone that I don't know what is fashionable these days?

In my day on the prairies of South Dakota,  girls would never dress in such an UnChristianlike way.  The Lutherans would never tolerate it.  Social ostracism would be the result, for the young ladies and possibly their families.  Of course, that was in my day on a planet far far away from Utah.  Perhaps I need to get with the times and become more accepting of the latest fads.  Hey, if I can tolerate long hair, shorts that look more like skirts and skin tight jeans on boys, than I can learn to accept mismatched socks and shoes on girls.

"Groovy," is what I've got to say about that.

And Now, A Few Things from the Imginarium   

There is a lot to this cartoon.  The subject is math, but I see it could also work for Flight Directing.

The formula to running a Space Center mission flows along, completely understandable, until you reach that point at the beginning of the mission when a miracle happens and the magic begins.

My Flight Directors know just what I'm talking about.  

 This is one high tech and efficient way to stop cheating soon to be implemented at your friendly neighborhood school.  Yes, here in the Imaginarium we find the most creative ways to accomplish our goals and objectives.  Cheap and easy is the name of the game. 

Where are you on the spectrum in regards to your goals?

A lesson learned by many of us.

Funny how many wet pant legs I saw at the Space Center right after that movie.

I end this post with something truly amazing.  Great imagination and creativity - both qualities greatly admired at the Space Center.  Enjoy.......

Our First Summer Camp of the 2012 Season.

Hello Troops,
What is this, a midnight post on a Tuesday night?  Strange as it may seem, yours truly is sitting at my computer at 11:45 P.M. at the Space Center.  Having just put the boys to bed, I find there is a measure or two of intelligence still bottled in my consciousness with an expiration date of 12:30 A.M.  If I don't process these last few thoughts now, they will be forever lost to the Langoliers as they devour what was our Tuesday.

This is the first camp of our 2012 Summer Camp Season!  There were a few grumbles from the staff.  Usually I give everyone a week off between the end of the school year and the start of the summer camp season.  I decided to ignore tradition and forge ahead with the first summer camp.  The decision could be regarded as both wise and foolish.  Wise because of the few extra summer dollars this additional week will bring.  Foolish because my staff may decide to strike back.  I'm leery about going to bed, fearful of the evil that could befall me in the dark of a Space Center night.

Our first EdVenture Camp (3 day camp) starts Thursday.  The ships have new stories.  Mrs. Remy and Mrs. Houston have an awesome class session mapped out and Mrs. Clegg is ready with measuring cups, knives, forks, spoons and crock pots waiting to unveil her new alien culinary creations.  Lucky are those who got their registrations in on time, for the waiting lists are long with the names of those unfortunate souls who didn't.

And now, its time for bed.


Mr. W.

Venus Transit today

 

False-color image of the Sun. Solar Prominences visible along the edges of the horizons.

The big giant ball of nuclear fusion is presenting a special show today. Starting about 4:10 pm MDT (3:10 pm PDT) the planet Venus will slowly traverse (or TRANSIT) the face of the sun. If you still have your solar filters from seeing the recent eclipse, you should be able to see the tiny dot of a planet. Unfortunately, I suspect cloudy skies this afternoon in Utah, but if necessary, I can see it on the Internet.

Astronomy Photo of the day will have live updated images you can check on. Just go to 

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

to see large images of the event. Also, you can watch the event live on NASATV:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Happy Viewing!
Mark 

Getting Ready for Tuesday's Launches.

Hello Troops,

Starbase One is scheduled to launch the Voyager, Magellan, Odyssey, Phoenix and Galileo for their summer voyages on Tuesday evening. The ships are prepared and nearly ready for departure.  There are a few hiccups in the Odyssey, the Magellan's retrofit from a space station to starship is nearly complete, the Voyager's orders into the Wild West region of the Galaxy are still being written, the Galileo's new air conditioning system is installed and the Phoenix has its new controls debugged and running as per expectations.  I'm feeling confident about our missions into the unknown and honored many of you kind readers decided to enlist in Starfleet and venture into deep space with us on missions of deep space exploration.

The Voyager's command officers ran a detailed simulation of their mission into the Wild West last night.  The simulation was a bit rough as everyone learned their duties and responsibilities.  Bracken Funk was at the helm, assisted by Jon Parker and Emily Paxman.  The simulation exposed several potential problems requiring a bit of fine tuning.  The simulations are necessary to ensure the safety of the Paklid Prince Horace as the Voyager transports him to Paklidia.  Another simulation is scheduled for 10:00 A.M. tomorrow.  Command is convinced this training will prove beneficial to the success of the mission.

Last night, the commanders of our ships gathered in Starbase One's Forward Lounge.  We sat at one of the long banquet tables closest to the transparent aluminum windows overlooking the slowly rotating Earth.  There was a great deal of reminiscing about old times and old missions while the commanders enjoyed a few drinks of non alcoholic Romulan Ale.  As the minutes passed, the reminiscing morphed into boasting as the commanders verbally jostled with each other in an attempt to prove their summer mission was the most important to the overall success of the Federation's long term plans for the exploration and colonization of the Galaxy.

"You call transporting a snot nosed, obnoxious Paklid prince home an important mission?" Christine laughed as she reached across the table to take a handful of peanuts from a green illuminated bowl.  Emily saw Christine reach and moved quickly to intercept the bowl.  She moved it closer to her person.

"I haven't eaten anything today so I'm claiming these as mine," she said while encircling the bowl with both arms thus creating an impregnable fortress.

"Why don't you order something, it's not too late?"  Jon suggested.  "Adrian Stevens is on duty in the kitchen.  She's working a few extra shifts to make a little extra money before the Voyager sails Tuesday night.

"Exactly why I'm not ordering anything to eat," Emily replied.  "Have you noticed how many times she's poked her head out of the kitchen's doors  to see if we're still here.  She want's to go home.  Who knows what she'll do to my food if I ordered something right now, so close to closing time."

"There's always the replicators,"  Nicole suggested. "The food tastes like cardboard, but its better than starving."

"The peanuts will be fine until I get back to my quarters.  I've got a bit of something stashed away to get me through."  Emily tapped one index finger against her nose signifying whatever it was she had tucked away was good.

Bracken jumped into the conversation's pause.  "The Odyssey's mission is nothing compared to the Voyager's.  You know what will happen if anything goes wrong with the Paklid Prince.  We could lose the Dilithium contract, and that would be devastating to the Federation's future plans."  He picked up his shot glass, held it up to the ceiling and watched the light from the ceiling fixtures bend and wave through the green liquid.

Christine shook her head and waved him off.  Zac reached down and picked up his guitar.
"Anybody for a tune or two?"

"Sure, play something relaxing," Dave put his head down on the table as he spoke.  It was far past his bedtime.  He knew his wife would be wondering where he was.  He thought to tap his communicator and call but didn't want to disturb her in case she had gone to bed without him.

"Relaxing.....?" Zac thought for a moment before strumming a tune unknown to everyone at the table.  It sounded like a old Earth ballad.

"I think everyone would agree the Phoenix's mission is the most important."  Megan spoke over the music.  "Of course, I can't prove it because our orders are sealed, and none of you are cleared to read them."  She looked rather proud of herself for pointing that out.  "You'll all get a chance to read the mission debriefing when we get back." 

" I'd love to read your mission debriefing - if we make it back alive," Stacy was slumped half way down her chair as she spoke.  "The Galileo's mission will place us in harm's way and I'm not sure we will make it."  She sat up straight and held her glass high. "So cheers to impossible missions."

"The Galileo? Honestly, the Galileo?  The words Galileo and dangerous should never be put together."  Zac stopped playing to make his point.  "The Magellan is the ship that gets the most dangerous missions.  If you want something done right, send the Magellan."  

"I'm outta here before it gets to deep," Bracken stood up emptied his glass, wished everyone a good night and disappeared through the lounge's double doors and into corridor leading to the turbolift elevators.

"Let's break this up and get some sleep," I suggested.

"Look, North America is coming into view," Christine stood up and moved closer to the large windows making up one full wall of the lounge.  The others joined her.  I bid them all a good night and walked out of the lounge.  Tuesday will come fast and there is still much to do.

Mr. W.
  

New Era in Space Travel

 

ISS CanadArm releases Dragon cargo spacecraft.

SpaceX Made space history yesterday, and set the path for future commercial activities in space. On Thursday morning, astronauts aboard the ISS used the remote manipulator CanadArm to move an undocked Dragon cargo spacecraft from the U.S. Harmony module. Dragon had just completed its task to be the first commercial (non-government project) spacecraft to deliver supplies to the ISS. However, it was still scheduled for one more task: a safe return to the Earth.

Camera view from CanadArm: "Dragon Flight 001 now departing for California."

The Expedition 31 astronauts and cosmonauts had received 1000 pounds of supplies brought up by the Dragon, after a successful rendezvous and docking procedure that went nearly flawlessly. Then, with the cargo space emptied, they carefully packed in about 1,400 pounds of scientific equipment and samples that needed to be returned to NASA. With the closing of the shuttle program, the ability to bring back equipment (other than tiny packages in a Soyuz capsule) had been lost.

With the hatches aboard Dragon and the ISS sealed, the craft was undocked and the robot arm moved the Dragon gently away from the Harmony module. Upon release, SpaceX mission controls remotely control thrusters to move the Dragon away from the station and lower in orbit. A short time later, the Dragon service module engine began a 9-minute retrofire burn to slow down the Dragon from its speed of 17,500 mph. The service module was then jettisoned and the capsule began orientation to enter the atmosphere.

Artist rendering of Dragon re-entry. Credit: SpaceX.

Dragon began a fiery re-entry over the Indian ocean and proceeded towards the west coast of the USA. The parachutes deployed perfectly and the Dragon splashed down in the Pacific Ocean not far off the coast of Baja California. Recovery vessels soon found the craft and recovered it.

Hoping that Dragons aren't seasick. Credit: SpaceX.

With the successful completion of this test mission to the ISS, SpaceX completes its tests for the government and will now begin regular supply mission to the ISS, returning US space supply capability to our space program. Instead of terribly costly shuttle missions bring supplies to the ISS, NASA can hire out delivery services, saving millions of dollars. This will be the new norm for space exploration in Earth orbit: NASA will lead the way in exploration while private business takes over the routines of supply and travel infrastructure. Of course now it remains for a private company to supply human flight opportunities to low Earth orbit and the ISS. We should see these developments expand during the next few years. SpaceX and other companies are already designing, building, and testing human-rated capsules for use on new and current rocket boosters.

By Mark Daymont
Space Center Educator

The End of the School Year and the Start of the Summer Season.

Hello Troops,

Tonight we put the last of our school year campers to bed.  The School Year Camp Season started on October 7, 2011 with Lindon Elementary School.  The School Year Camp Season ends tonight with Orem Elementary School's 6th Grade.  The summer season starts tomorrow with the first of our summer private missions at 11:00 A.M.  The first overnight camp for the season will be June 5th.  Our last summer season camp will be the overnight camp of September 28.

It has been a good school year season.  We've weathered the recession and survived everything Fortuna threw our way (and I write that with humility, not wanting to upset the Olympians and tempt Fate).  Our success was earned on the backs of our fantastic staff and volunteers, all good people who make my job easier and give me the occasional shoulder to lean on.  Thank you.

We start this new season not knowing what lies ahead.  Will the seas be calm and the winds reliable?  Will our campers be considerate and follow the rules?  Will the volunteers be willing and able to help us staff our  missions?  Will our sanity have the mental reserves to remain firm even in the strongest tempest? The answers are out there in that labyrinth called 'the future'.  There is one thing you can count on.  No matter what cometh our way, be it friend or foe, light or dark, or good or bad, this blog will report it all, truthfully (except when I believe a bit of imagination added to the telling will enhance the point I'm trying to make).

The bell rang today at 10:30 A.M. dismissing our students for the summer.  Just before the bell rang the sound of Central's third grade students counting down the seconds to freedom echoed up and down the Space Center's hallway; 3,  2,  1,  The Bell rang followed by a hugh cheer. Five hundred students came pouring out of their classrooms like prisoners just paroled.  It was like the running of the bulls.  It is a sight to behold!

It's strange, this being a Thursday night and I'm here at my computer at 12:06 A.M.  My mind is trying to convince me its Friday.  All day tomorrow I'll think its Saturday.  We will all be a bit befuddled until we get our summer legs beneath us.

The one major project accomplished today was the changing of the Galileo's air conditioners.  Thank you to Kyle Herring (The Great Fish) for his help along with our maintenance director, Kyle Jones.  Their is one remaining issue to be resolved.  The Magellan's sound system is being fussy. Maggie's subwoofer has forgotten its contribution to the overall quality of the Magellan's sound.  Zac and Megan used every incantation to correct the problem, but to no avail.  Once again we will rely on the generosity of the Great Fish to get us out of this pickle.

Now it's time to go to bed.  The camper are down.  The staff are quiet and sleep is all that remains on my "to do" list.

Goodnight,
Mr W.

The Voyager's New Summer Story, And Other Things.

 Todd Wilps was on a Memorial Day trip to the beach when he got the news 

that he was too late to sign up for a Space Center Summer Camp.

Don't Let This Be You!  

Register Today

Hello Troops,
While many enjoy a three day weekend, the Space Center staff and volunteers will have two days off.  These rare occasions give us a chance to recharge, rebuild, reenergize and prepare ourselves for the two busiest months of the year - June and July.

June and July are summer camps months.  Each week you'll find us hosting a three day camp, an overnight camp and a few dozen or so private missions.  It is the time of year when the Space Center makes much of its budget for the upcoming year.  If you haven't registered for a summer camp I urge you to do so quickly.  They are filing quickly. Soon, you may find yourself like the boy above, shocked to his very core at the discovery that there is no place for him at the Space Center this summer.  He'd waited too long to register.  Now, he faces a bleak summer without an infusion of pure, unadulterated imagination and creativity.  Rare, natural brain enhancing drugs dispensed at very few places - the Space Center being one of them.

Our simulators are preparing their new summer missions.  The Phoenix's mission has been told several times.  Each telling was received warmly by the crews who flew them.  The Odyssey's mission is ready.  The Galileo's had its first telling last week.  The crew responded favorably.  The Magellan's new summer story is waiting on its tactical screens and visual track.  The Voyager's new summer story will be told for the first time this weekend.

The Voyager's New Mission

The great space faring nations are struggling to rebuild after the long night of terror unleashed on them by the Borg.  The Federation, Romulan, Klingon and Cardassian nations are mere shadows of their former selves.  Their home worlds devastated, their fleets all but demolished and their citizens scattered to the four corners of this galactic quadrant.  Each nation struggles to regain what it once had.  Each nation rebuilds, sending their tattered fleets back to the stars to reclaim the worlds which once flew their flags and proclaimed their greatness.

In the midst of this devastation, the Paklids remain - untouched by the Borg.  Their home world left as it was before, their identity and national purpose unmarred.  The Borg Cubes flew by the Paklids on their way to Earth, Kronos, Romulas and Cardassian Prime.  The Borg scanned Paklidia and found the Paklid people undeserving of assimilation into the collective.  They believed the Paklids had nothing to offer.  To some extent, the Borg were correct.  The Paklids appear to be a very simple people, yet buried deep in what most think to be simpleness, lies the strength, culture and national purpose that has kept the Paklids an independent people for thousands of years.

In their hurry to subdue the great nations, the Borg overlooked something else about Paklidia.  The Paklid home world is rich in dilithium ore.  Dilithium is the controlling agent which allows massive warp drive engines to harness the power of antimatter and channel it is such that a doorway can be opened into the realm of hyperspace.  Hyperspace allows warp travel and warp travel opens the galaxy to exploration and colonization.

The Voyager's new summer story introduces us to Horace, the crown prince of Paklidia and his bodyguard Dweeb.  Horace and Dweeb are on Earth with the Paklid Minister of Commerce.  Starfleet Command is wanting to sign a multiyear contract with Paklidia.  This contract will, once again, give Earth access to Paklid dilithium crystals.  Horace and Dweeb used their time on Earth to tour, meet humans, and study the finest Federation technology offered to the Paklids in exchange for their dilithium.

Now it is time for Horace and Dweeb to return to Paklidia.  The Paklid government has arranged for an escort ship to accompany the Royal Starbug (Starbug - the name given to Paklid starships) back to Paklidia.  The USS Voyager has been given that task.  The journey to Paklids is fraught with danger.  Remember, the Federation has lost control of much of its territory.  There are whole sections of space once held by the Federation that are now in the control of lawless gangs of space pirates and mercenaries.

The Orion Pirates, led by the infamous Mad Dog, control the several light years of space separating the last functioning Federation Starbase and Paklid space.  Ths area, called 'The West', is named after the American Wild West of the 1800's.    The Voyager will rendezvous with the Royal Spacebug at Starbase 101.  Prince Horace has expressed an interest in touring the Voyager and meeting her crew.

Horace is an avid admirer of Space ships.  His favorite is the Romulan Warbird.  "A fine ship," Horace says.  Horace's love for the Romulan Warbird led him into an admiration of the Romulan people and their former Empire.  His admiration has made Horace a vocal supporter of the Romulans. He has urged his father to give the Romulan Empire the dilitium contract instead of the Federation.  Horace's father,  not taken in by the clever design of the Warbird and false Romulan promises of eternal peace and friendship,  refused his son's request.  He knows Romulan history and their preoccupation of colonizing worlds with resources they deem of strategic value to their Empire.  Over Horace's objections,  the King sent his Commerce Minister to sign the trade agreement with the Federation.  To placate his son, the Paklid King agreed to sell limited amounts of crystals to the Romulans.  The Romulans are not happy they lost the contract, but are powerless to force a Paklid change of mind.  The Paklids are the current power in the galaxy, having been ignored by the Borg.  Of course, with the death of the Paklid King, Horace will take the throne.  A scenario the Romulans hope will come sooner, rather than later.

How Do Astronomer's Know the Distances to Far Away Objects in Space?

This post ends with a short video explaining how astronomers tell the distances to far away stars and galaxies.  Please take a minute and learn something about astronomy.  I promise you'll find it fascinating.



Mr. W.